A group of Good Samaritans in Santa Rosa County came together recently to make life a little easier for an 80-year-old local celebrity going through tough times.

Bobby Burke is known simply as "Mr. Bobby" to the people of Milton and Pace, who for years have been smitten by his kindness and positive attitude as he's ridden his pedal bike 8 miles, back and forth, between his home and his job in East Milton.

For most of his adult life, Burke has worked as a janitor. He moved to Milton from Oklahoma in the mid-1990s and never obtained his Florida driver's license after the move.

"The car we had to come down here, we had to sell it to catch up on the rent," Burke said.

Bobby Burke, better known as "Mr. Bobby," rides a tricycle donated to him by people in Santa Rosa County on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in Bagdad.(Photo: Courtesy of Trish Hyler)

For years after Hurricane Ivan, Burke and his wife, Reba, tried to Band-Aid the damage done to their Milton trailer home by the storm, but the couple finally gave up in 2015 and moved into another trailer park in Bagdad. Also during that time, Burke and his wife ran into some health issues.

Reba suffered from two strokes and underwent open-heart surgery. And about two years ago, Burke was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which he said mostly causes his right arm to shake. He takes medication to calm it down and said the disease "is not so bad."

Burke said Parkinson's doesn't limit him in his job at Sunbelt Compost & Garden Supply, a job Burke rides to every day, six days a week, to load compost on trailers and pick-up trucks.

But the two-wheel bike Burke previously used to pedal down U.S. Highway 90 to get to work made his friends and acquaintances in Santa Rosa County nervous.

"There's some days where he would shake too bad or it would be too cold or rainy and I would drive him to work and pick him up," said Pace resident Trish Hyler, who said she's known Burke for 20 years.

Other members of the community would also occasionally drive Burke to and from work, but knowing they couldn't all be there for him all the time, they decided the next best plan would be to set him up with a safer means of transportation.

Bobby Burke, better known as "Mr. Bobby," talks beside his new tricycle at his home in Bagdad on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.(Photo: Jake Newby/jnewby@pnj.com)

Members of the Milton & Pace Paying it Forward Facebook group took it upon themselves in mid-January to open up an account in Burke's name at the Truly Spokin' bike shop in Milton, where people could donate until the tricycle was paid off.

The three-wheel bike is more steady and provides a safer and more comfortable ride than the two-wheel bike.

Truly Spokin' owner Mark Woolson chipped in by applying a 15 percent discount toward Burke's $420 trike. It only took residents five days to meet the remaining cost.

Woolson said this isn't the first time community members and local businesses have teamed up to help make Burke's life easier.

"He's got an account that people pay for at the Milton (Quality) Bakery so he can stop in and get a doughnut when needed," Woolson said. "There's an account set up for him at a Burger King in that area where he can stop and get a free hamburger. And we got this account for him at the bike shop where people can continue to donate for accessories for his bike. So yeah, everybody sees him and knows of him."

On Jan. 17, some of the folks who know Burke and who made the trike's purchase possible brought him his ride for the first time and watched him give it a test spin.

Bobby Burke, better known as "Mr. Bobby," talks beside his new tricycle at his home in Bagdad on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.(Photo: Jake Newby/jnewby@pnj.com)

"He was all smiles," said Milton resident Cheryl Blocker. "Like a giddy little boy on Christmas Day. He cannot stop thanking us enough for getting him this bike."

Hyler said it was heartwarming to see Burke react to his new trike.

"He was without words, he was in tears, he was excited," Hyler said. "He told everybody how much he loved them and how much he appreciated them. He was blown away by the kindness."

Burke said he's still overwhelmed with gratitude, almost two weeks later.

"I was happy to get it and I cried," he said. "I'm still happy. I appreciate each and every person who chipped in and bought the bike."